GW/MW-010 Gwaunceste Hill

Chasing more winter bonus points…

GW/MW-010 Gwaunceste Hill

28/12/2015

We parked at SO 1661 5339 and headed up a well trodden track towards the summit. There was a strong breeze as we started out but thankfully it was not raining and we reached the summit in 53 minutes which is 2.83km from the parking spot. 

Ready to go

My laminated route for Gwaunceste Hill

Glascwm village below

Follow the tracks

The boggy bit

The main wildlife highlights today were a Red Kite and a startled Grouse which took off as we reached the Trig point.

The Trig TP3545

Protected from the wind

I set up a short distance below the trig and out of the wind, the three of us being quite snug in the bothy bag. Not much activity on 60m and I soon moved to 40m.

11:41z	G4AFI	5MHz	SSB	Andrew
11:42z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian
11:44z	G3RMD	5MHz	SSB	Frank
11:45z	G3XFA	5MHz	SSB	Rob

Not many on 60m today

Having qualified the summit on 60m I was out to enjoy myself on 40m. Although Rhodri had carried the linear to the summit I did not set it up as  I found the band to be in good shape for my 5 watts so with a spot I gave a call with Bill G4WSB replying immediately with 5/9 both ways… a good start :)

12:00z	G4WSB	7MHz	SSB	Bill
12:01z	G0FEX	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:01z	M0IBC	7MHz	SSB	David
12:02z	G0TRB	7MHz	SSB	Roger
12:02z	G6TUH	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:03z	G4SQA	7MHz	SSB	Dave
12:03z	G4IAR	7MHz	AM	Dave
12:04z	G4WZI	7MHz	SSB	Richard
12:04z	G0RYM	7MHz	SSB	Stan
12:05z	G1BLJ	7MHz	SSB	Steve
12:05z	M0JLA	7MHz	SSB	Rod
12:06z	G0RQL	7MHz	SSB	Don
12:07z	M0BKV	7MHz	SSB	Damian
12:08z	M0ZGY	7MHz	SSB	Gerry
12:08z	G0GWY	7MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:08z	G4APO	7MHz	SSB
12:08z	G8VNW	7MHz	SSB	Nick
12:09z	M0MDA	7MHz	SSB	Mick
12:10z	2E0GBK	7MHz	SSB	Keith
12:11z	G8XYJ	7MHz	SSB	Matt
12:12z	M6VPX	7MHz	SSB	Steve
12:13z	G3RDQ	7MHz	SSB	David
12:14z	G4DUE	7MHz	SSB	Adrian
12:15z	GW6OVD	7MHz	SSB	Mal

Ending with Mal who was just waking up after being on night-shift and checking that Val and Rhodri were still warm and happy I decided to call in to the WAB net to give them the Trig....once again some had already called me earlier. With Geoffrey as net controller I was run down the list and had completed in 5 minutes with Victor GI4ONL popping up to say ‘Hello’ and to grab some points:)

12:27z	G7BGA	7MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
12:28z	G0GWY	7MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:28z	G0FVH	7MHz	SSB	David
12:30z	G0BFJ	7MHz	SSB
12:30z	MI1AIB	7MHz	SSB	Paul
12:31z	G7AFM	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:32z	SM6CNX	7MHz	SSB	Ben
12:33z	GI4ONL	7MHz	SSB	Victor

Checking RRT on the phone

Now I knew that John MW0XOT/p and Alan MW0YCC/p were out there somewhere and I was relieved that they had appeared on RRT so I went hunting for some s2s points. They were on GW/MW-006 Pegwn Mawr which I had activated a few days ago…they were soon in the log…thanks both.

12:34z	MW0XOT/P	7MHz	SSB	John s2s
12:35z	MW0YCC/P	7MHz	SSB	Alan s2s

The wind was getting stronger and we could see some storm clouds approaching…pack up time. 

Final calls at the trig

Moving back to the trig I gave Matt G8XYJ a call on 2m but to no avail…time to head down hill with 5 points in the bag….could I get some more points before Storm Frank arrived?

Heading down

My activation set up today:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  3 band link dipole (60/40/20),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts in 2015 and for reading the blog. 

A very Happy New Year to you all in 2016

73 Allan GW4VPX

Beacon Hill GW/MW-009

Before yet another storm

Beacon Hill GW/MW-009

23/12/2015

Another window of opportunity opened up just before the approach of Storm Eva so we headed for Llandrindod Wells and Beacon Hill which lies well to the NE of the town.  Rhodri was with us today as he was home for Christmas and looking forward to a day on the hills. 

My GPS track

The footpath and our car parked in the distance

On our way in the sunshine

Wet underfoot...track to Beacon Hill to the left

This is a nice summit as the walk up is gradual although it’s still a good 2.73km to the summit taking in part of ‘Glyndwr’s Way’.

Left for Beacon Hill

Track to the trig

Now over the last week or so I have been involved with teaching the Amateur Radio- Foundation Exam to some of our club members which meant using the FT817 and battery. After setting up the antenna I noticed that a few of my usual setting had been altered and that the charge indicator on the 4Ah LIPo was not what it should be...had I charged it after the weekend?

Bothy bag deployed....priority... then HF antenna :)

 A few calls on 60m brought no reponse and RRT was not behaving from my seated position. I made a decision to plug in the linear and call into the WAB net on 40m as I knew they were expecting me to ‘pop up’ around 12:00hrs. An immediate response from ‘net controller’ Phil G7AFM and I soon qualified the summit and Trig (TP1133) with my dodgy batteries…thanks everyone. 

Working the WAB net

Shortly after Val told me that John G1STQ/p had popped up on RRT and was calling on 2m from G/WB-005 Long Mynd-Pole Bank ....he was soon in the log and sounding very happy as I was his first contact …..he was beginning to wonder if his rig was working…..thanks John.  

Cosy in the bothy bag

Sending Val out with my phone with RRT set up for her I started calling out and very soon I had a really good ‘pile-up’ as I had popped up 4 times in succession on the Spots…sorry… :)

Time	Call	Band	Mode	Notes
12:05z	G7AFM	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:06z	G4DUE	7MHz	SSB	Adrian
12:06z	G0GWY	7MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:06z	G0BFG	7MHz	SSB
12:06z	G0FEX	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:07z	MI1AIB	7MHz	SSB	Paul
12:07z	G3PRI	7MHz	SSB	Dave
12:08z	MM3PDM/M	7MHz	SSB	Peter
12:08z	G0FVH	7MHz	SSB	David
12:09z	G0NEV	7MHz	SSB	Michael
12:09z	G0IPE	7MHz	SSB	Peter
12:09z	GI0AZB	7MHz	SSB	Ian
12:13z	G1STQ/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s
12:21z	G4TSQ	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:21z	2E0MBT	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:23z	GOVWP	7MHz	SSB	Terry
12:23z	G4WSB	7MHz	SSB	Bill
12:24z	G0TDM	7MHz	SSB	John
12:24z	M0TLX	7MHz	SSB	David
12:25z	G6LKB	7MHz	SSB	David
12:25z	G4WHA/A	7MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:25z	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
12:26z	G7BGA	7MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
12:27z	G4AFI	7MHz	SSB	Andrew
12:28z	M3FEH	7MHz	SSB	Karl
12:28z	M6RUG	7MHz	SSB	Dave
12:28z	2E0SCS	7MHz	SSB	Stephen
12:29z	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
12:30z	GW0IRT	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:30z	G0GRI	7MHz	SSB	Ian
12:32z	M6LXG/P	7MHz	SSB	Tim
12:34z	M6BHQ	7MHz	SSB	Lee
12:35z	2E0GBK	7MHz	SSB	Keith
12:36z	DK7ZH	7MHz	SSB	Manfred
12:47z	G6OVD/P	144MHz	FM	Mal s2s

It was cold on top and we had quite a few rain/hail showers reminding us that it was winter.  I decided to pack away leaving the handheld on 145.500 mindful that Mal G6OVD/p was due on G/WB-002 Brown Clee Hill.  Just before I switched off the FT817 I noticed that I was running on the lowest power output..doh..another button that had been depressed without my knowledge....

s2s with Mal

With HF packed away and just before the bothy bag was tucked in the rucksack up pops Mal on the FT270 with my second s2s of the day..thanks Mal.

 GW4VPX/p packing up in the distance

It was nice to see the sun now and again

Heading back down the track

Although we had a few wintry showers during the activation it remained dry on our way down but not underfoot.....looking forward to the next one.....maybe before the New Year.

My activation set up:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (0.5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  UK-MX 50M linear (for 817) and 12V 9.2 Ah Lithium Ion battery,  3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m+80m extensions),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts and a very 

73 Allan GW4VPX